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The Shapers of Kro Var
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Jedi Academy Training Manual Some Force Traditions view The Force as a form of magic or power that comes from deities. The Shapers of Kro Var represent one such group, channeling The Force into showy displays of power that are keyed to the four classic elements of nature- air, earth, fire, and water. Master Shapers can evoke huge windstorms, earthquakes, or bursts of flame to destroy their enemies. Although primitive and superstitious, The Shapers of Kro Var are dangerous opponents who wield The Force like a blunt weapon. Members of The Shapers of Kro Var Force Tradition can select Talents from the Shaper of Kro Var Talent Tree. Membership Any native of Kro Var can become a Shaper provided he or she has the Force Sensitivity Feat. It's also possible for non-natives to become Shapers by studying under a Master Shaper who travels abroad. History The Shapers of Kro Var hail from the planet of the same name (Kro Var), located deep within the Unknown Regions. They originate at a point in history a thousand years before the Battle of Yavin, when a damaged cruiser filled with refugees from the battles that ravaged the planet Ruusan emerges from hyperspace at the wrong coordinates and crash lands on Kro Var. The survivors do their best to make the barely hospitable world their new home. The planet is covered with jagged rock deserts, churning seas, and vast windswept canyons. After several generations, the population breaks up into various clans and spread out to different parts of Kro Var. These clans spend most of their time fighting each other for rare and valuable resources, causing the general technological level to decline to barbaric levels. Over time, various members of the population begin to show signs of Force Sensitivity. These Force-sensitive people are called "Shapers" because of their ability to shape the elements of the world. As the clans grow more warlike and aggressive, The Shapers of Kro Var become major players in the resulting conflicts, using The Force to command the elements. When a Republic trading vessel arrives in the Kro Var system, it throws the planet's power structure into chaos. A Jedi contingent is deployed to help restore order, reintegrate the planet back into modern society, and investigate the reports of sorcerers and "Battle Wizards." The Shapers of Kro Var are very suspicious and hostile toward The Jedi, primarily based on distorted myths and legends from the war between the Jedi Order and The Sith a thousand years prior. Some Shapers and Jedi perish before peace is eventually restored to Kro Var. The Jedi eventually determine that the Shapers are not agents of the Dark Side, and the Jedi Order commits to periodically sending envoys back to the planet to monitor its progress and learn the techniques of The Shapers of Kro Var. Shapers and other natives of Kro Var are also afforded the chance to leave their planet and integrate back into galactic society, which many of them do. Location Shapers are still found on their home planet, but since their discovery by the Republic, they have spread throughout the galaxy in small numbers, in search of new knowledge and techniques to work into their own beliefs. Fearful of The Jedi and their "Mind-altering ways," the Shapers have come into conflict with the Jedi Order on more than a few occasions. However, not all Shapers are quite so superstitious and actively seek out The Jedi to learn more about their interpretation of The Force. Shapers are bold, brash, and proud of their powers and are more willing to use them when threatened or to intimidate or impress non-Shapers. They are also slowly overcoming their primitive status and distrust of technology. Philosophy The Shapers of Kro Var serve as battle shamans for their various clans. They are proud and aggressive, using their powers to terrify enemies as they blast them with elemental fury. Each Shaper specializes in a particular element, usually the one corresponding to his or her clan's territory. For example, the Shapers of the Ungoth Valley wield fire effects more often than not, due in part to their clan's affinity for the lava flows that surround their homes. However, Shapers can and do manifest different forms of elemental control- true masters can summon the power of all four, making them terrifying opponents. In addition to their Force Powers, they are experts with Clubs, Spears, and War Swords- these, too, are perfectly good tools for dealing with enemies. When a youngling is discovered to possess The Force, they are sent to study with one of the many Shaper cabals and are subjugated to tests that determine which element is strongest within the pupil. Once this is determined, the student is then sent to the appropriate temple to begin their studies of The Force. Training is adatious and brutal, with Shapers learning both the ways to manifest The Force and the arts of war. Their warlike tendencies are further shaped by the elements they study. For example, if a Shaper is strong with air, they'll tend to be mobile on the battlefield, whereas a Shaper attuned to earth is likely to stand their ground. Shapers are highly superstitious and suspicious of Force-users who use "Invisible" powers, including Telepathy, Force Thrust, and the like. Although these attitudes are slowly changing, Shapers are more likely to challenge a Jedi to a duel than to engage in diplomacy. Jedi who study The Shapers of Kro Var have noticed that there are far fewer instances of "Intangible" manifestations of a Shaper's power, mainly because on Kro Var, people who possess these kinds of powers are persecuted as warlocks and witches. Building a Shaper of Kro Var When creating a Shaper of Kro Var, you have a great deal of freedom in determining the origin story of your hero. Not all Shapers are restricted to coming from the world of Kro Var, as encounters with the Republic have spread the Shapers throughout the galaxy. Your hero might have been trained on Kro Var, or your hero might have been trained by a dispatched Shaper somewhere in recognized Republic space. If you choose to be from Kro Var itself, you can do almost anything you like with your hero's background. Information on Kro Var, much less The Unknown Regions, is spotty at best, and there is little in the way of continuity to restrict your character background. Given that the Shapers focus their Force use on the manipulation of nature, you should consider describing your particular use of various Force Powers and Force Talents in terms of environmental effects. For example, if you use Force Slam on a group of enemies, you can describe it as a mighty wind roaring from your back to pick them up and hurl them bodiley through the air. Similarly, your description of the Force Disarm Force Power might involve the very roots of plants and trees reaching up to snatch the weapons out of your enemies' hands. For your Shaper of Krop Var, you should consider Talents and Feats that reflect your ability to survive in harsh environments. The Scout Class is a natural choice for the Shaper, and both the Survivor Talent Tree and Fringer Talent Tree reflect the Shaper's background on Kro Var. Since several of your Force Tradition's Force Talents require the expenditure of a Force Point, you should consider Force Boon as one of your first Feats, to maximize the use of your Force Talents. Similarly, you might want to take the Force Harmony Talent for one free use of those Force Talents and the Force Point Recovery Force Technique once you begin taking levels in the Force Adept Prestige Class. Kro Var Nonheroic Units See also: Nonheroic Units Category:Affiliations